I LOVE MY DAD (2022)

March 22, 2022

SXSW 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. It’s difficult to know whether the biggest story here is the one of the cringiest movies you’ll see or the fact that writer-director-star James Morosini based it on the actual relationship and events with his own father. Morosini opens the film with this: “The following actually happened. My dad asked me to tell you it didn’t.” That sounds kinda funny and sets the stage for some father-son conflict. But it certainly doesn’t prepare us for what we are about to watch.

The always terrific Patton Oswalt plays Chuck, the father. We listen to a steady stream of voicemails Chuck leaves for his son over the years, and we know immediately what kind of absentee, break-another-promise father he’s been to his son. Franklin (played by filmmaker Morosini) is finishing up his stint in therapy after a suicide attempt. By his side is his protective and worried and hopeful mother (Amy Landecker). Guess who is not there.

Being that it’s a movie, albeit one based on real life, we wonder if this is going to be a story of redemption for the father, the son, both, or neither. As part of the boundaries set by Franklin after his therapy, he blocks his father from social media. So desperate he is to re-connect with his son that Chuck undertakes a catfishing strategy. Yep, he creates a fake account using the identity of a cute waitress named Becca (a charming Claudia Sulewski) to befriend Franklin and talk about life. Of course, Franklin is so in need of human interaction that he begins to fall for virtual Becca, and Chuck’s mess just gets messier. He even involves his co-worker friend (Lil Rey Howery) and his boss/lover (Rachel Dratch), but who stand opposed to the whole thing.

The story is horribly sad and pathetic, but the actors inject enough levity that we aren’t wallowing in pain while watching. In an innovative step, Becca and Franklin appear together during their texting conversations – well, it’s a virtual representation of Franklin’s imagination. Mr. Oswalt is extremely effective at generating human emotions in a guy that could easily be vilified as public enemy number one. At his core, Chuck is just a well-meaning guy who stinks at being a parent – despite being desperate to connect with his son. As a parent, presence is crucial and much of it is about effort. Desperation can lead to bad decisions, and Mr. Morosini bravely exposes his own turmoil for a film that might hit home to more people than we imagine.

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Posted by David Ferguson

DEEP WATER (2022)

March 17, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Based on his work, arguments can be made on both sides. Director Adrian Lyne is either a staunch believer in monogamous marriages, or he enjoys mocking the concept altogether. Surprisingly, this is his first film in 20 years since UNFAITHFUL (2002). To refresh your memory, he’s also the force behind 9 ½ WEEKS (1986), FATAL ATTRACTION (1987), and INDECENT PROPOSAL (1993). Co-writers Zach Helm and Sam Levinson have adapted the script from the 1957 novel by Patricia Highsmith, who also wrote “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and “Strangers on a Train”.

“Do you know I love you?” When one spouse feels the need to ask about love rather than declare it, you know it’s an unusual marriage. And in the category of unusual marriages, you’d be hard-pressed to find an arrangement more bizarre than the one between Vic (Ben Affleck) and Melinda (Ana de Armas). Thanks to real life public drama for Will Smith and Jada Pinkett, we all know that “open marriages” are a thing. But this with Vic and Melinda is neither fully “open” nor fully a marriage. Vic invented and sold a computer chip used in drones (mostly for warfare) and he’s so rich, that he’d rather watch his free-spirited wife drag home new boy-toys than give her an expensive divorce. But that’s as much explanation as we receive for what seems like a lose-lose-lose scenario. That third lose is for Melinda’s gentlemen friends who seem to mysteriously disappear once Vic becomes aware of them. One is gone before the movie even starts, and he’s followed by Jacob Elordi, Brandan Miller, and Finn Wittrock.

Perhaps the biggest mystery here is in deciding who displays more charisma, Affleck in this role or the snails that his character Vic breeds. We’ve joked about actors sleepwalking through roles before, but there are scenes here where that may actually be happening. Affleck mostly just dead-eyes Melinda and her men, though we are supposed to interpret his lack of expression as a combination of anger, jealousy, and lust. Fortunately, we have Ana de Armas to liven things up. She’s a full-grown party girl going through various stages of designer dress and un-dress. The supporting cast is comprised of Dash Mihok, Lil Rey Howery (who is in every movie these days), Kristen Connolly, Grace Jenkins as the smarter-than-parents kid to Vic and Melinda, and Tracy Letts as a curious novelist constantly side-eyeing Vic as research for a new book.

Is it cheesy? Yes. Is it sleazy? Yes. Despite twenty years of no movies, director Lyne delivers another high-gloss, play-pretend trashy erotic thriller that will fit perfectly in the streaming world. Affleck disappoints here after strong turns in THE TENDER BAR (2021) and THE WAY BACK (2020), and Ms. de Armas will next appear as Marilyn Monroe in BLONDE. Ben and Ana had their tabloid moment as a romantic couple after filming, but she is now the gone girl, and he has since reunited with JoLo. There are too many gaps in the story and characters for this to be considered a serious movie, but it’s sure to be entertaining enough for many.

Premiers on HULU beginning March 18, 2022

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON (2019)

September 5, 2019

 Greetings again from the darkness. Philosophically speaking, each of us is running our own marathon of life. Of course, every person’s marathon has its own obstacles and challenges, and most of us have happiness as our end goal for the finish line. This first feature film from writer-director Paul Downs Colaizzo is based on the real life struggles of his friend Brittany, whose photos are shared over the closing credits.

Jillian Bell stars as Brittany, a 28 year old New York City party girl dedicated to avoiding adult responsibilities. She struggles to make ends meet financially, yet manages to drink copious amounts of alcohol and partake in recreational drug use. A trip to a Yelp-referred doctor in hopes of scoring Adderall ends with a harsh realization when he asks if she is making “healthy choices” … her BMI places her in the obese category. Suddenly her friends’ claiming she is the funniest person in the room can be interpreted as Brittany using humor as a coping method – a trait she recognizes in another character later in the story.

This is no simple “chick flick” filled with punchlines. Well, OK, it has plenty of punchlines thanks to the comedic brilliance of Ms. Bell, however, the film is also loaded with the emotional burdens that accompany societal standards. It exposes the nasty side of human nature in how we treat those who are overweight, or not meeting the accepted standard of attractiveness, or not wealthy enough, or not fashion-oriented, or whatever other standard being applied at any given time. Brittany takes us on the emotional journey of seeking happiness and self-actualization when one is mired in insecurities and depression. It’s a journey that can be tough to watch and tough to experience.

The underappreciated Michaela Watkins plays Brittany’s neighbor Catherine, whose athletic and artistic façade camouflage her shattered marriage and the accompanying pain. Ms. Watkins clearly embraces offbeat projects, as evidenced by her role in BRIGSBY BEAR (2017) and by appearing with Jillian Bell in this year’s indie gem SWORD OF TRUST. When Brittany laces up her Chucks and runs that first block, Catherine jumps in and invites her to join a runner’s club. It’s there that Brittany and Catherine meet Seth (Micah Stock), an out of shape gay man proving to his son he is a strong father that can be relied upon. We see all three become friends, and though Brittany may have motivated them to run the NYC Marathon, we see that each is running for their own reason.

Other supporting work is provided by Lil Rey Howery (GET OUT) as Demetrius, Brittany’s brother-in-law and surrogate step-father via Skype; Alice Lee as Gretchen, Brittany’s narcissistic vlogger roommate; and Utkarsh Ambudkar as Jern, Brittany’s slacker co-worker turned friend turned romantic partner. Even though Jillian Bell owns the film as Brittany, each of the talented support cast brings depth to their roles, allowing these to be actual people to whom we can relate. It’s a risky move casting so many improve comedians, but the result is quite impressive.

The film is loaded with life lessons and chuckles, and with that comes moments of cruelty, self-centeredness, insecurity and depression. Friendship is key here. Is someone your friend if they belittle you and keep you around so they feel better about themselves?  Are we a good friend if we don’t allow others to support and help us out in times of need? The message these days is to accept yourself, and find happiness in the type of person you are. Brittany shows us that finding yourself is a crucial first step, and that accepting yourself doesn’t mean accepting bad habits and poor health. The film was well received at Sundance, and it’s easy to see why … much easier than running that first block.

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson